Capitola | City to give updates on ongoing projects

CAPITOLA The city of Capitola will host a special town hall meeting at the New Brighton Middle School performing arts center 6 p. m. Thursday, where staff will give updates on a number of ongoing projects, including redevelopment at Capitola Mall, the Bay Avenue Corridor and the Cliff Drive Resiliency Project. The city has shared a list of some projects that will be discussed at the town hall. Here’s more context for some of those items: Capitola Mall redevelopment Redevelopment of the Capitola Mall has been a topic of discussion for the city for years. In recent months, the city’s Planning Commission has been working with Merlone Geier Partners, the group that owns a large percentage of the mall property, to amend zoning ordinances at the site. The draft amendments, which allow building heights of up to 75 feet, or seven to eight stories, were recently posted on the city of Capitola website. The Planning Commission will hold a meeting Wednesday at 5 p. m. in the Capitola City Council chambers to provide updates on the zoning amendments and hear public comments. The redevelopment will also be discussed at the town hall on Nov. 20. Capitola Wharf Master Plan A project to improve resiliency and public access at the Capitola Wharf, which included widening the wharf, repairing steel pilings and adding new restrooms, was completed in 2024. After storms in December 2023 further damaged the wharf, the City Council was prompted to approve the demolition of wharf buildings and city staff to begin work on a long-term plan. The architectural firm hired to help with planning and designing, Fuse Architects, presented several draft designs in March, and the city accepted public feedback through May. Following the period of accepting public comments, Fuse Architects suggested a design that would take components of the two most popular options incorporating flexible market space, new restrooms, restaurants and fishing concessions and boat storage. In June, the City Council directed staff to proceed and present the final development plan in the fall for final adoption. Cliff Drive Resiliency Project After storms in January 2023 caused the erosion of bluffs and destroyed a retaining wall on Cliff Drive, southwest of Hooper Beach, the city received approval to work on improvements through the Caltrans Emergency Relief Program. The project aims to preserve the road and the underground utilities along Cliff Drive, and to improve pedestrian access and safety. The project has been in the works since February 2024. At an August City Council meeting, city staff reported that the agreed-upon plan to stabilize the bluff and add overlooks and parking would not be feasible with the funding available: $10. 5 million from the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief program and $500,000 from a California Coastal Commission grant. City staff proposed an alternative plan to partially protect the bluffs with a phased approach, which would target high-risk areas first and employ temporary safety measures for pedestrians and bikers. The project will require amendments to the city’s Local Coastal Program, city staff reported, in order to align policy with the planned project, and would include ongoing community engagement. Jade Street Community Center renovation Since April, the Capitola Community Center on Jade Street has been undergoing renovations to improve accessibility and modernize the building. The new site will include upgraded meeting rooms and multipurpose spaces, a large patio, accessible walkways and restrooms, and new windows, siding and roofing. As of July, the community center is on track to open in spring 2026. Treasure Cove Playground project Next door at Jade Street Park, the city is building a universally accessible playground called Treasure Cove. The playground will include updated equipment that allows users of all abilities to play. Universally accessible playgrounds “go beyond minimum ADA compliance,” according to the city of Capitola website, and will support more play experiences than the previous playground at Jade Street Park. The project broke ground in October and is expected to be completed in summer 2026. Park at Rispin Mansion A long-anticipated project to build a park at Rispin Mansion, a historic mansion built on Wharf Road in the 1920s, is underway. After 10 years of planning efforts and gathering community input, construction of the park began in spring 2024, with an original goal opening date of late summer 2025. The park will include accessible pathways, native landscaping, concrete plazas and seating areas. Several components of the project including additional landscaping, a bocce court and public art have been excluded over time due to budget constraints. One such component was the restoration of a reflecting pool on the site. However, after several residents expressed enthusiasm for restoring the pool, the City Council approved the allocation of an additional $25,000 to the project from the Public Art Fund, increasing the reflecting pool budget to $50,000. That could be further increased if the city is awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts next month. The city will release a call to artists asking for proposals for the project at the two budget levels, both with and without the grant funding. Stockton Bridge The Stockton Avenue Bridge, which allows cars, bikes and pedestrians to cross over Soquel Creek in Capitola, was built in the 1930s. The city of Capitola has been considering replacing the bridge to ensure safety and reliability, with plans starting in late 2024. The City Council directed city staff to conduct additional studies and outreach before going ahead with a contract amendment to move forward with the new design of the bridge. The project is still in its early planning stages, with the city emphasizing the importance of public input throughout the planning and design process. Bay Avenue Corridor The city is looking into ways to improve bike and pedestrian safety along Bay Avenue between Highway 1 and Park Avenue. The project is a part of Capitola’s citywide local roadway safety plan, an effort to prioritize road safety across the city. Residents are invited to share their input on areas that need improvement. The first community outreach event was held in late October. Safety measures including illuminated signs, bike lanes and fewer traffic lanes were put in place at the intersection of Bay Avenue and Hill Street last year, but were recently removed following public complaints of traffic congestion and claims that the project actually made the intersection less safe for pedestrians. Other projects, including City Hall property planning, anticipated street projects, police radio improvements and more will also be discussed at Thursday’s meeting.
https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/11/18/capitola-city-to-give-updates-on-ongoing-projects/

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